My report on the Holemans is inclosed herewith. Although the records identifying relationships are not available for the first generation, I feel sure Daniel Holeman was the father of Jacob who was the father of Andrew.

Wayland in his history of Shenandoah County says that Jacob Holeman was the largest slave owner there in 1783. I failed to check this against the tax books and therefore did not mention it in the report, but I feel sure the information must be correct.

I am going to wait a little longer before sending the Reader-Rader notes because I am still not entirely certain that I am dealing with only one man named Michael Reader. Although Rockingham and Shenandoah are adjoining counties and the one man could very well appear in both places, I do not want to combine the records from the two until I am positive they should be combined.

I hope to have the Reader-Rader report ready for you shortly, however.

My charge for the research thus far is [[private]].

With every good wish,

Sincerely,

[[signed]] Fred

[[See also the 5 June 1965 cover letter to the Rader report. One paragraph contains additional information about Jacob Holeman.MICHAEL RADER (READER)]]

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HOLEMAN-HOLMAN-HOLDMAN

Shenandoah County, Virginia

Several members of the Holeman family settled in Augusta County, Virginia, before 1750. On 11 February 1745/6 Daniel Holdman and Samuel Wilkins were directed by the County Court to be overseers of the road from Benjamin Allen's mill to North River.1 On 2 August 1750 Daniel Holeman was granted three tracts of land:

Grant to Daniel Holeman of Augusta County of 395 acres on the north river of Shannondoah ... west side of Cedar Hill ... land surveyed for John Ruddle junr. ... to the river side ... land of Doctr. Henry Naffe ...2

Grant to Daniel Holeman of Augusta County of 420 acres on the west side of the North river of Shannondoah ... bank of the said river and at the lower end of the said Holeman's plantation ... Jacob Holeman's line ...3

Grant to Daniel Holeman of Augusta of 130 acres on the North river of Shannondoah ... near the North River side ... line of said Holeman's other survey ... to the river side ...4

Previous to this, Jacob Holeman and Thomas Holeman had received grants on 3 February 1749/50:

Grant to Jacob Holeman of Augusta County of 420 acres on Holeman's Creek where he had begun a settlement ... south east side of a branch of Holeman's Creek ... head of a valley ... foot of a hill ...5

Grant to Thomas Holeman of Augusta County of 428 acres, a tract where he lives on the south fork of Holeman's Creek ... corner to George Brook ... Peter Gortner's survey ... Mary Hill's line ... Ruddle's line ...6

As early as 1742 an And[rew?] Holman served in the militia company of Capt. James Gill and Lieut. John Dobbin.7 The Court orders of 28 November 1753 mention William Holeman8 and he is referred to in 1755 as processioner of land in the vicinity of Buffaloe Creek.9 John Holdman was one of the appraisers of the estate of Martin Kaufman on 16 June 174910 and Samuel Holdman witnessed the will of Peter Cotner on 25 December 1752.11 Within a year after he received it, Thomas Holeman sold his land grant to Robert Stapleton.12 No records have been found to show the relationship between these several Holemans or to show what became of any of them except Daniel and Jacob, or perhaps only Daniel since there is no evidence to show that the Jacob who was granted land in 1750 is identical with the Jacob Holeman mentioned in later records.

Although the land grants described the residence of Daniel Holeman as Augusta County, his land actually was within the borders of Frederick County. On 21 September 1763 the records of Augusta County describe him as a witness from Frederick County in a suit.13

Daniel Holeman died in the latter part of 1770:

6 November 1770. On the motion of Jacob Holdman Certificate is granted him for obtaining letters of administration of the estate of Daniel Holdman decd ...
Ordered that Joseph Allen, Robert Oneal, Henry Gore and George Riddle ... appraise in current money the slaves (if any) and personal estate of Daniel Holdman ...14

The inventory of the estate was made on 27 December 1770 by Henry Gore, Joseph Allen and George Ruddle and showed a valuation of £434.15.4, including twelve slaves valued at £390.15

Daniel Holeman left a widow Elizabeth who was listed as a taxpayer in Shenandoah County in 1782 and again in 1791:

1782. Elizabeth Holdman
3 tithes [slaves]
1 horse
7 cattle

1791. Elizabeth Holdman
1 slave over age 16
1 horse16

On 23 September 1791 she conveyed her dower rights in land to Andrew Holeman:

Since Daniel Holeman died intestate, there is no record stating that Jacob Holeman was his son. Jacob inherited Daniel's land and would therefore appear to be his son, but under colonial law he could have inherited as brother and heir at law. The records tend to indicate that Jacob was much younger than Daniel, however, and it is more reasonable to believe that they were father and son.

The first reference to Jacob Holeman which has been located is a court order of 6 June 1765:

Ordered that Burr Harrison pay Jacob Holdman [75 pounds of tobacco] for three days attendance for him as a witness at the suit of Topp.18

By 1770 he was beginning to take part in public affairs:

6 November 1770. Thomas Violett, Josiah Leith and Jacob Holdman took the usual oaths to his Majesty's person and government, took the abjuration oath, repeated and subscribed the Teste and took the oaths of a Constable and the several oaths appointed by Act of Assembly.19

When Dunmore County was created from Frederick County in 1772, Jacob Holeman's residence fell into the new county and he was named in the commission of the peace issued 17 April 1772.20 He qualified as justice on 23 June 1772:

Jacob Holeman one of Gentlemen named in the Commission of the Peace for this County ... took the usual oaths to his Majesty's person and Government, and subscribed the oath of abjuration and test, and then took the oath of a Justice of the peace, and of the County Court in Chancery, as also the oath of a Justice of Oyer and Terminer.21

Jacob Holeman was subsequently mentioned in a number of Court orders:

24 November 1772. A bill of sale for slaves from Jacob Holeman, Gent., to William Cathey and Rebecca his wife was acknowledged by the said Jacob ...22

24 November 1772. On complaint of Jacob Holeman, Gent., against his servant woman Sarah Blackster for having a Bastard Child during her servitude, it is ordered that the said servant serve her said master for the costs and trouble thereby occasioned, one year ...23

29 April 1773. Jacob Holeman, Gent. [is appointed to take the list of tithables] from Holeman's Creek to Stoney Creek between the North Mountain and the Massanutten Mountain.24

29 March 1781. Upon the motion of Jacob Holeman and Alexander Hite, Commissioners of this County for providing Provisions &c Agreeable to the Act of Assembly are allowed the said Holeman twenty three days and Hite twenty four days each Twenty Pounds pr. day.25

1 June 1781. Jacob Holeman, Gent. [is appointed to take a list of tithes] in Capt. Seahorn's Company.26

28 March 1782. Jacob Holeman, Alexander Hite and Abraham Keller, Gent., are appointed Commissioners to carry into execution an Act of Assembly pass'd in November 1781 for receiving the specific tax ...27

28 March 1783. Jacob Holeman and wife v. Joshua Bean. In case. ... Jury ... say that the defendant is guilty in manner and form as the plaintiffs against him hath declared and they do assess the plaintiff damages by occasion thereof to one hundred pounds besides his costs. ... The plaintiff Jacob appeared in Court in his proper person and relinquished his damages above mentioned.28

When the American armies concentrated in Virginia in 1780 and 1781, it became necessary to impress supplies for their use. As revealed by the court order of 29 March 1781, Jacob Holeman was one of the commissioners who secured provisions in Shenandoah County. He, himself, received a certificate from the other commissioner:

Shanando County
I Hereby Certify that I Received for the Publik use of Capt. Jacob Holeman one head of Beef weighing Two Hundred & fifty Pounds at Twenty four shillings per Pound for which payment shall be made according to the assurance of a Resolution Contained of the act of Assembly of November fifteenth 1780 Given under my hand this fourteenth day of December 1780.
£300 - 250 Alexander Hite Commr29
___41000

He was also paid £15.6.0 for the use of one wagon for thirty-four days at nine pence per day30 and £5.7.0 for 38 l/2 bushels of corn, a half bushel of corn and 1000 bushels of hay,31 and was awarded £20 for a bay horse six years old which was impressed.32

In 1782 Jacob Holeman was taxed for 1300 acres of land in Shenandoah County, valued at £800.33 The next year he sold 395 acres of this land to Henry Houser.34 The court order relating to this sale reads:

26 June 1783. Indentures of lease and release from Jacob Holeman and Margaret his wife to Henry Howser was acknowledged ...35

When he was appointed one of the commissioners for receiving the specific tax on 28 March 1782, he gave bond for £500 with Abm. Bird as his security. He acknowledged this bond before the Court on 26 April 1782.36

In 1782 Jacob Holdman paid tax for fourteen tithes, thirteen horses and twenty-six cattle.37 In 1783 he and Will Cathey were taxed for eight slaves over age 16 and six under that age (named Boatswain, Nan, Tom, Jack, James, Mary, Reubin, Sarah, Sue, Wenny, Doll, Ann, George and Jenny), eighteen horses, and twenty-one cattle.38

On 26 October 1783 Jacob Holeman made his will, describing himself as of Shanando County and as very sick and weak:

To my well beloved wife Margaret Holeman the plantation whereon I now live in two tracts containing 550 acres during life, with slaves Boatswin, Nan, Mary, Winney, George, Tom, James, Ann, Suse and Jack. Also the whole of my household goods and furniture with all other moveable stock and chattles for the support of my family and to be divided among my children as they come of age at the discretion of my wife.
To my son Daniel Holeman all that plantation whereon he now lives, 420 acres; slaves John, Nan Junr, and Lydia.
To my daughter Elizabeth Dobkins [?] tract whereon she now live; slaves Reuben and Doll.
To my daughter Rachel Holeman slaves Sall and Jenny, Boatswin and Nan Senr., with one sorrel mare, fourteen head of cattle now in her possession, one feather bed and furniture.
To my Andrew Holeman [sic] all the plantation whereon I now live containing 400 acres after the decease of my wife; slaves Jim and Ann.
To my daughter Rebecca Holeman slaves Mary and Suse.
To my daughter Mary Ann Holeman slaves Winney and George.
To my son Jacob Herod Holeman 150 acres with slave Tom.

The inventory of the estate of Mr. Jacob Holeman was made 27 May 1784 and showed a valuation of £1466.18.6, including eighteen slaves valued at £782.40 An accounting of the estate was not made until 12 October 1796 when the slaves were divided among Dan Holeman deceased, Reuben Dobkins, Jacob Steigel, Andw. Holeman, John Martin and Mary Ann Holeman.41

In 1784 Margarett Holeman, Wm. Cathey and Thomas Edgell were listed together on the Shenandoah County tax books with seven slaves over age 16, six slaves under that age, nineteen horses and twenty-three cattle.42 She married William Cathey in December 1784,43 and on 1 September 1796 they sold their right to land held by Jacob Holeman:

William Cathey and Margarett his wife, late Margarett Holeman of Shenandoah County, to Andrew Holeman of same. For £550 current money.
All their right in two tracts, one 420 acres ... on the bank of the North River of Shenandoah ... to Jacob Holeman's line of the upper tract ...
The other, 130 acres adjoining the former ... Holeman's other survey ... meanders of the said river ...
Being the two tracts which Jacob Holeman by his last will did bequeath unto Margaret who was then the wife of the said Jacob Holeman, during the natural life of Margaret ...
Wm. Cathey
Margaret (M) Cathey
Witnesses: Wm. Byrd, John Taylor.
13 September 1796. Acknowledged.44

Of the children of Jacob and Margaret (---) Holeman, Daniel was probably the eldest. His suit against James Pickerall was agreed 25 November 1772.45 On 25 November 1784 John Robinson and Mary Holman gave bond for £2000 as administrators of his estate46 and the same day Mary Holeman gave bond for £2000 as guardian of Jacob Holeman, orphan of Daniel Holeman.47 The inventory of the estate was made 6 December 1784 and showed a valuation of £229.10.0.48 The widow Mary Holeman married John Hamen in August 1787.49

Rachel Holeman married Jacob Steigel in April 1784.50 The younger sister Rebecca Holeman, described as daughter of William and Mary [sic] Cattery, married John Martin on 23 October 1789.51 After John Martin's death Rebecca and her children lived with William Cathey and later moved with him to Kanawha County, West Virginia.52 The Shenandoah County records do not indicate whether Margaret (---) Holeman Cathey was living at the time of the removal to the west.

Andrew Holeman, son of Jacob and Margaret (---) Holeman, married Elizabeth Reader or Rader, daughter of Michael, on 24 November 1791.53

He purchased the dower rights of his mother and grandmother in 550 acres in Shenandoah County and on 3 September 1796 sold the two tracts comprising that acreage to his brother-in-law Jacob Steigel:

Andrew Holeman and Elizabeth his wife of Shanandoah County to Jacob Stiegle of same. For £2000 current money.
420 acres on the west side of the North River of Shenandoah, being the same tract which was willed by Jacob Holeman unto Andrew Holeman during the natural life of Margaret Carthey who was then the wife of Jacob Holeman ... bank of the river ... Jacob Holeman's line ...
Andw. Holeman
Elizabeth (X) Holeman
13 September 1796. Acknowledged, Elizabeth being examined.54

Andrew Holeman and Elizabeth his wife to Jacob Stiegel.
For $500.
All their right and title by purchase made of William Cathey and Margaret his wife late Margaret Holeman 1 September 1796 during life of Margaret by will of Jacob Holeman ... containing 130 acres.
Andw. Holeman
Elizabeth (X) Holeman
13 September 1796. Acknowledged by Andrew and Elizabeth.55

Andrew Holeman was listed for personal property tax in Shenandoah County between 1792 and 1796: